NJPW On AXS Recap (10/16): AJ Styles Picks Up A Huge Win, NEVER Openweight Title, Wrestle Kingdom 9

Welcome to Wrestling Inc's coverage of NJPW on AXS. Tonight's show is the second installment of AXS TV's coverage of Wrestle Kingdom 9!

AJ Styles vs. Tetsuya Naito

Styles goes right after the Clash twice, which announcers have been putting over as a neck-breaking move. Styles backdrops Naito outside the ring and lands on his feet on a missed moonsault, but eats a Naito dropkick from the apron.

Naito flips around, but Styles hits a stunner to his leg and starts elbow dropping it. A kneebreaker has Naito writhing in pain on the mat, and Styles is working it over and grounding Naito.

Naito fights back and runs up the ropes for a tornado DDT. A high hiplock and a dropkick from Naito set up a somersault senton, but no pin attempt. A rope assisted neckbreaker does garner a pin attempt, but only a 2. Styles headbutts Naito and hits a stiff springboard forearm.

Styles goes for a suplex and drops it into a sick looking neckbreaker for two. A german suplex from Styles held and Naito rolls through for two.

Naito hits a shoulder tackle and a scoop slam, but is knocked off the turnbuckles as he attempts the Stardust press. Styles tries a back suplerplex but Naito flips out of it. Styles locks on the calf cutter anyway, and they're in the middle of the ring with nowhere to go. Styles has it locked on for a long time, but Naito finally gets to the ropes.

Naito scores with an enziguri and a Saito suplex, but only gets a two count from the dragon suplex. Styles answers with a Pele kick and a Bloody Sunday!

Naito desperately dumps Styles from the ring and he doesn't make it in until the count of 19. Naito goes for a top rope huracanrana, but Styles hits the Styles Clash from the second rope for the win!

Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall (second-rope Styles Clash)

AJ Styles is doing the best work of his career here in NJPW. It's weird looking back and seeing Naito as a babyface, considering he's such a good heel now.

NEVER Openweight Championship
Tomohiro Ishii (c) vs. Togi Makabe

The two go at it from the jump, trading punches, clotheslines and shoulder tackles. They also trade powerslams but no-sell them. They go back to trading punches until Ishii hits a big chop to the throat.

Ishii goes after Makabe with headbutts and insulting kicks to the face, followed by chops. Makabe no sells them and wallops Ishii with a corner clotheslines. They go back to drilling each other in the face until Makabe gets a two count off of a northern lights suplex.

The two are going straight up strong style, elbowing each other in the face. They've been trading shots this entire match. Ishii gets an impressive second rope superplex in which had a little bit of a delay. He follows up with a powerbomb for two. Makabe gets a powerbomb of his own and a German suplex, which both also get two counts.

Makabe with a huge corner fireman's carry drop, but Ishii somehow kicks out. Ishii tries an enziguri, but it's blocked and he's blasted with a giant lariat but Ishii kicks out at 1!

Ishii with a German suplex, no sold and a lariat for two! A chop to the neck to Ishii, a headbutt to the sternum of Makabe. A seated clothesline from Ishii only gets two. He also gets two off of a hard hitting enziguri.

A double lariat sends both nowhere, and Makabe gets two off of a crippling dragon suplex. These two are on a one-way trip to concussion city. Makabe lands several clotheslines but cant get the three count. He finally finishes Ishii with a flying knee drop to the head.

Winner: Togi Makabe wins via pinfall (flying knee drop) to win the NEVER Openweight Championship

The young lions immediately tend to Ishii. That was violent, and a fantastic match.